Who has never felt upset because of a colleague’s attitude at work? Or been afraid to voice an opinion during a meeting because someone seemed unreceptive to ideas? Situations like these are common in the professional environment; that’s why practicing kindness is a daily and essential exercise to promote better relationships among employees and clients.
It’s courtesy, in fact, that can define the success of a business venture or someone’s career – as stated by Domingos Sávio Zainaghi, lawyer, university professor, specialist in Human Sciences, and author of the book 20 lessons to become a likable person: a guide to becoming someone everyone desires to have around.
Thinking about the benefits of kindness in the workplace, he has prepared four suggestions that can help professionals achieve more prosperity and establish better relationships in the corporate world. Check it out:
1 – Call people by their name
Get into the habit of calling people by their names and not just by their function or titles. If someone is going to assist you and hasn’t introduced themselves, ask how you should address them or look for their name tag. Also, avoid making jokes about people’s names, and if you do, let them be sweet, as demonstrations of appreciation.
2 – Be a good listener
Many have an anxiety to speak. Some people are even compulsive and do not let others finish their stories, as they are always interrupting to tell theirs. So, when someone is talking about something, contain your urge to interrupt, because it pushes people away. Let the other shine when telling a story.
3 – Correct without offending
No one likes to be corrected, especially in public, but there will be moments when it will be necessary to correct someone. In fact, this is a first recommendation: do not use the word ‘criticism,’ as it carries a negative symbolism; an alternative is to say ‘advice’ or simply ‘advising.’
Before pointing out mistakes, start by praising the positive points, giving sincere compliments. For example, an employee who is frequently absent without justification can be approached with the threat of dismissal or suspension, but this would sour the relationship. Talk to this employee about the value of the job and how the company does not want to lose them, as aside from these absences, they are an employee with many virtues.
4 – Admit your mistakes
No one likes to acknowledge mistakes or admit to making a wrong decision. However, it is important to have the humility to recognize an error, as it allows learning and growing as a human being, in addition to relieving a bad burden. Admitting mistakes is the first step to correcting errors and avoiding repeating them in the future. It is a demonstration of maturity and self-responsibility for one’s own actions.
